Carton closure and carrying device



Jan.'2, 1968 J. T. STUART 3,361,333

CARTON CLOSURE AND CARRYING DEVICE Filed Nov. 25, 1966 2. ATTOfi/YEYSUnited States Patent 3,361,333 CARTON (ILOSURE AND CARRYING DEVTCE JohnT. Stuart, Upper St. Clair, Bridgeville, Pa., assignor to WeyerhaeuserCompany, Tacoma, Wash, 21 corporation of Washington Filed Nov. 25, 1966,Ser. No. 597,147 1 Claim. (Cl. 229-52) This relates to a device whichmay be used with a paperboard container having a pitcher pour spout andwhich is useful both for carrying the container and for holding thepitcher pour spout closed.

Paperboard milk containers, such as milk cartons, are normally placed instorage trays in supermarkets and must be lifted or otherwise removedfrom these trays. The shape of the carton allows it to be tightly packedwith other cartons, causing it to be removed only with difliculty. Thesecartons have pitcher pour spouts which tend, after opening, to remainslightly open.

It is an object of this invention to provide a means which will allowthe container to be easily removed from the storage trays, to be heldwhile pouring, and to hold the pitcher pour spout closed when thecontainer is not in use.

These and other objects of this invention will become readily apparentupon reading the following specification in conjunction with theattached drawings.

FIG. 1 is a isometric view of the container with the device in thecarrying position.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the container open for pouring.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the container with the device in theclosure position.

The container has a gable top closure 11 formed by a pair of roof panels12, and panels 13 and 14 (not shown), a pair of triangular infoldingpanels 15 which connect the end panel 13 to the roof panels 12, and apair of triangular infolding panels which connect the end panel 14 tothe roof panels 12. Each of the roof panels 12 has an upwardly extendingextension 17. These extensions and the top edges of the other panels areadhered to form a liquid tight seal. The extensions 17 are adheredtogether along their top edges to form a unitary extension 17'.

The container itself is rendered liquid tight by means of a liquid tightcoating on both faces of the paperboard. This coating preferably ispolyethylene which is laminated to both faces of the paperboard. Thepolyethylene coating also acts as a thermoplastic adhesive to adhere thevarious members of the container, such as the gable top members,together.

Each of the panels 12 has .a score line 18 defining a triangular endsection 19 which is aligned with the triangular infolding panels 15. Theend panel 13, the two infolding panels 15 and the triangular sections 19form a pitcher pour spout when opened.

To aid in opening the carton to form the pitcher pour spout, an abhesiveor release agent is placed on selected portions of the pour spout inorder to reduce the area of adherance so that less force will berequired in opening the container. These areas are the outer edge 20 andthe inner edge 21 of the pour spout and the upper edge 22 of each of theinner faces of the roof panels 12 extending 'between the score line 18and the outer edge of the roof panel. As may be seen, none of the coatedareas extend to the outer edge of the roof panels 12 so that there is anadhered section adjacent the outer edge of each of the panels.

A loop handle 23 is pivotally attached by rivots or grommets 24 to theextention 17. The attachment preferably is at the center of thecontainer adjacent the inner edge of the pour spout. The opposite ends25 of the handle 23 are attached to opposing faces of the extension 17so that the handle is looped over the extension. The total length of thehandle 23 between its two points of attachment is slightly greater thantwice the distance between the point of attachment of the handle and theouter edge of the pour spout when the container is closed. This allowsthe handle to be pivoted over the pour spout to hold the pour spoutclosed when it is not in use.

The device may also be used for holding the upper end of the containerwhen pouring from the container.

Thus a single device is used for carrying the container, for holding thecontainer while pouring, and for holding the container closed when itspitcher pour spout is not in use.

While a single example of the preferred form of the invention has beendescribed, it will be readily apparent that many changes andmodifications may be made in the structure without departing from thespirit of the invention. It should therefore be understood that theexample is illustrative only and is not intended to limit the scope ofthe invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a gable top container, a pair of roof panels, a pair of end panelsextending inwardly of said roof panels, triangular infolding panelsconnecting said roof panels and said end panels, said roof panel havingupwardly ex tensions sealed together, one of said end panels, itscorresponding fold-in panels, and the adjacent ends of said roof panelsforming a pitcher pour spout, a loop handle pivotally attached to saidsealed extensions, said outer gable top end being the outer end of saidclosed pitcher pour spout,

the length of said loop handle between the points of attachment beingslightly greater than twice the distance between the point of attachmentand the outer end of said gable top.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,172,930 9/1939 B-ensel 229-512,831,624 4/1958 Lever 229-52 3,032,230 5/1962 Gerber 22952 3,217,96711/1965 Jackson 229--17 FOREIGN PATENTS 85,112 5/ 1957 Netherlands.

DONALD F. NORTON, Primary Examiner.

R. PESHOCK, Examiner.

1. IN A GABLE TOP CONTAINER, A PAIR OF ROOF PANELS, A PAIR OF END PANELSEXTENDING INWARDLY OF SAID ROOF PANELS, TRIANGULAR INFOLDING PANELSCONNECTING SAID ROOF PANELS AND SAID END PANELS, SAID ROOF PANEL HAVINGUPWARDLY EXTENSIONS SEALED TOGETHER, ONE OF SAID END PANELS, ITSCORRESPONDING FOLD-IN PANELS, AND THE ADJACENT ENDS OF SAID ROOF PANELSFORMING A PITCHER POUR SPOUT, A LOOP HANDLE PIVOTALLY ATTACHED TO SAIDSEALED EXTENSIONS, SAID OUTER GABLE TOP END BEING THE OUTER END OF SAIDCLOSED PITCHER POUR SPOUT,